Rapunzel Says Goodbye to Alicante: Disney Wraps Tangled at Ciudad de la Luz
Disney’s live-action Tangled, the Rapunzel classic, is wrapping its shoot at the Ciudad de la Luz studios in Alicante after nearly nine months of work in Spain. The production, set for release on March 31, 2028, has filmed across the Valencia region, the Basque Country and Catalonia. It is one of the biggest projects Spain has hosted this year and a test of the country’s appeal to major US studios.
Disney chose Spain to shoot its new version of Tangled, the 2010 animated film that grossed more than $591 million worldwide. The production has been based at Ciudad de la Luz since February. Pre-production took place entirely in the Valencia region between February and June, covering location scouting, casting, set construction and rehearsals. Principal photography began on June 29. Due to production needs, the shooting schedule at the Alicante studios was extended from seven to nine weeks, with the wrap planned for around October 21.
The film is directed by Michael Gracey (The Greatest Showman) from a screenplay by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson and Michael Montemayor. Kristin Burr (Cruella) produces through Burr! Productions. Teagan Croft plays Rapunzel, Milo Manheim plays Flynn Rider and Kathryn Hahn plays Mother Gothel. Diego Luna plays a new character, Hawthorne, while Caitríona Balfe and Elliot Cowan play the king and queen.
Ciudad de la Luz: Home Base for a Blockbuster
Ciudad de la Luz has been the project’s center of operations:
- Disney has rented four soundstages, backlots, workshops, warehouses and support buildings, and will keep them until the end of November.
- According to the Valencia regional government, the production has employed around 200 people a day since April and up to 700 during shooting weeks.
The filmmakers have publicly praised the facilities. Michael Gracey highlighted the people, the locations and the studios’ proximity to the city, about fifteen minutes away. Producer Kristin Burr named the lack of direct flights between Alicante and the United States as the only drawback. Diane Sabatini, Walt Disney Studios’ head of physical production, said the search for a base for the project began years ago. Ciudad de la Luz was the right fit because it offered both the landscapes and the technical capacity the production needed.
The shoot also carries symbolic weight for the studios. In 2012, the European Commission ruled that the public aid the complex had received was illegal and ordered €265 million to be repaid, forcing it to close. Brussels lifted the penalty in 2022, and since then Ciudad de la Luz has been hosting productions again. Tangled is its largest project in this new chapter.
Where Was Tangled Filmed?
Beyond the soundstages, the production has shot on location in several Spanish regions:
- Valencia region: the shoot began with three weeks in the region, including scenes at the Santo Domingo Diocesan School in Orihuela.
- Catalonia: the crew spent about two weeks in Girona, filming inside the cathedral and on its famous steps, in the old town and along the city walls, with around 500 people involved. The production also filmed in Tarragona.
- Basque Country: in Álava, the production built Rapunzel’s tower in Valdegovía, according to images shared from the set.
The variety of landscapes within short distances — coastline, forests, valleys and historic architecture — has been one of the reasons the filmmakers gave for choosing Spain.
How a Production of This Size Works in Spain
Like other foreign productions, Tangled works with a Spanish production services company. In this case it is Ánima Stillking Films, based in Málaga and part of the European Stillking group. According to its executive producer, María Cabello, the opportunity came from a familiarization trip for foreign producers organized by ICEX, Spain’s trade and investment promotion agency.
The production has also acknowledged a gap. Cabello said they found few local crew members trained for a project of this scale, so they had to bring in professionals from elsewhere, with support from the regional government. At the same time, she highlighted the hiring of local technicians and internships for students from training centers. Her conclusion: crews are built by bringing in projects.
The Valencia regional government awarded a €5 million grant to the production company for the shoot. The grant has sparked controversy within the Valencian audiovisual sector, and the opposition party Compromís has filed a complaint with the Valencian Anti-Fraud Agency. The regional government estimates the project’s impact at more than €40 million in direct spending and around €120 million in indirect impact. It has announced a more detailed assessment at the end of the year.
What It Means for International Productions in Spain
Tangled arrives as competition for major US productions intensifies, with a federal film incentive making its way through Congress in Washington. The shoot highlights several of Spain’s strengths:
- Studios able to handle large-scale sets.
- Very different locations within a few hours of each other.
- An experienced network of film commissions and production services companies.
It also highlights challenges the industry has been pointing to for some time:
- Expanding the pool of specialized crew.
- Improving air connectivity.
- Clear and predictable rules for public support.
Disney has left the door open to returning to Alicante: Diane Sabatini spoke of a partnership with a future alongside the regional government. As the film moves into post-production, the shoot already shows what Spain can offer a major US studio and what it still needs to improve.
At Soul Pictures, we provide production services to international companies filming in Spain: location scouting, crews and analysis of the incentives available in each territory. If you are planning a shoot in Spain, get in touch with our team.